Las Vegas Sun

November 29, 2009

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Letter: Don’t buy tickets for circuses that use animal acts

Thursday, Sept. 2, 1999 | 9:43 a.m.

Circus elephants are taken from their habitat in the wild at a young age. Fear training is then used by chaining and beating these magnificent, sociable, intelligent animals into submission.

I will never forget a video I saw where a trainer had tied and chained a young elephant and was continually, with no mercy, beating the animal with sharp bull hooks. The frightened, helpless animal was actually crying and moaning in agony. The trainer ignored its pitiful cries and proceeded to torture the defenseless animal.

After years of being chained, beaten and made to perform, it's no wonder they snap and go berserk. Then they are shot to death. There are big bucks in performing animal acts. These animals have suffered long enough. As long as people buy a circus ticket the abuse and suffering will continue. There are many wonderful, entertaining circuses that have people performing. I have not been to a circus that uses animal acts in years and never will again.

DIAN A. CAMPBELL

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